Amalgamator.



Patented May 2|. l90l.

2 Sheats$heet l.

J. Y. BYERS.

AMALGAIATUR.

(Application filed Oct. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m: honms PETERS co, FHOTO-LlTHG WASNINKJON, u. c.

Patented May 2|, I901.

J. Y. BYERS.

AMALGAMATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 18, 1900.)

2 shaets sheat 2.

(No Model.)

NITED STATES 'ATENT Fries.

JOHN Y. BYERS, DESCANSO, CALIFORNIA.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 674,624, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed October 18, 1900. Serial No- 33,494. (No modeld To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN Y. BYERS, a cit-izen of the United States,residing at Descanso, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Amalgamator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved quartz-mill and amalgamator, the object of my invention being to provide an improved quartz-mill and amalgamator in which a revoluble muller runs in a runway formed interiorly in a verticallydisposed revolving cylinder, whereby friction is reduced between the coacting muller and. cylinder and the material is prevented from becoming packed on the dies.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pair of my improved quartz-mills and amalgamators, showing the same organized in a battery supported and operated by a single shaft. Fig. 2 is a detail exterior elevation of one of the revolving cylinders. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the mullers. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the feed-funnel and screen, respectively. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing a portion of the-cylinder, the mercury-trap, and the muller.

I will now describe one of the revolving cylinders in which the muller operates.

On a shaft 1 are secured a pair of spiders 2, having radial spokes 3,the outer ends of which are provided with converging extensions 4, forming seats for the inner sides of screens 5, the said screens being made in sections, as shown in Fig. 5. Annular flanges 6 connect the outer ends of the extensions 4 of the spokes and converge toward each other, and between the said flanges 6 are bolted the flanges 7 of an annular member 8,which forms the periphcryof the revolving cylinder. On the inner side of the annular member 8 are disposed annular dies 9, which are made of steel and form a runway between the inner sides of the spokes 3 on the inner side of the revolving cylinder. An amalgam-trap 10 is formed between the said dies. The cylinder is mounted for operation on the shaft 1, which is journaled in suitable bearin gs, either as indicated at 11, Fig. 1, or in any other suitable manner, and the said cylinder is revolved by means of the said shaft, the latter being connected operatively in any suitable manner to any suitable engine or other source of power. As here shown, the said shaft 1 is provided with a belt-pulley 12, whereby it may be rotated.

An annular mullerl3 is disposed in the runway in the revolving cylinder and bears upon the lower side of the runway in contact with the dies on the lower side thereof. The said muller is of less diameter than the interior diameter of the revolving cylinder and is eccentrically disposed therein and may be of any suitable construction. The opening in the muller is of such size that the shaft 1 passes through the same entirely out of contact with the muller, as indicated in Fig. 1.

In the form of the muller indicated in the drawings the same comprises a pair of annular plates 14, made of iron, which are shod with steel shoe-rings 15, which constitute the coacting surfaces which operate on the dies 9. Gross-blocks l6 connect the annular plates 14, the latter being bolted on the ends of said cross-blocks, as at 17, and the said bolts also extend through flanges 18, formed on the inner side of the shoes 15. Hence the muller is of open construction, and in the operation of the machine material is enabled to pass through the annular plates 14 into the space between them, and thence to the runway and between the coacting muller-rings and cylinder-dies 9. The shoe-rings may be readily removed from the annular plates 14 when worn and new ones substituted in lieu thereof at comparatively slight expense. It will be observed that the shoe-rings 15 also cover the outer sides of the plates 14 andprotect the latter from wear, It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the inner sides of the annular ring-plates 14 are inclined and converge toward each other outwardly. This facilitates the feed of the material from between the plates 14 to the runway. The parts of the roller being bolted together may be readily disassembled when the same is required.

The screens 5 are retained on the seats 4 on the outer sides of the cylinder A by means of plates 19, the same being bolted or secured by screws on the extensions 4 of the spokes, as shown.

A feed-funnel 20 is secured centrally on the outer side of the revolving cylinder A and its disposition is such as to feed the ore to the interior of said revolving cylinder, where by the rotation of said cylinder and of the muller, which is of open formation, as hereinbefore described therein, the pulverized ore tends to move to the center of the peripheral tread on the interior of the cylinder, where it is efficiently treated by the coaction of the muller on the annular dies forming the runways of the revolving cylinder. It will be understood that the friction between the muller and the ret'olving cylinder is reduced to the minimum, thereby greatly lessening the power required to operate the mill and the amalgamator and that it is impossible for the pulp to become packed on the dies. It will also be understood that material cannot become clogged on the screen.

The trap 10, which contains mercury and in which the fine gold is caught and amalgamated, may be made of any suitable material. I find that wood maybe employed with good results. When it becomes worn, it may be readily replaced at slight expense. The trap is provided with suitable pockets a. When the trap is made of wood, I prefer to bore the same laterally, as at b, to form the pockets, and connect the bores 19 with-the face of the trap, as at a; but the pockets may be made in any other suitable manner.

It will be understood that my improved mill is capable of reducing ores, whether wet or dry, coarse or fine, to the requisite degree of fineness, and it will be further understood that the gold or other valuable metal freed from the ore will be partially amalgamated in the mill. The reduced ore, in the form of pulp and water, passes from the mill to suitable sensitized plates for amalgamation in the usual manner.

When the mill is in operation, the same is inclosed in a case or shield, which is indicated by the dotted line e in Fig. 1, to prevent the pulp and water from flying centrifugally from the mill. This case may be made of can vas, wood, sheet-iron, or any other suitable material and may be of any suitable form.

The screens employed in my mill may be of any suitable construction and of any suitable fineness.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The muller comprising the pair of annular plates spaced apart, the pair of shoerings with which said annular plates are shod and cross-blocks disposed between said annular plates, saidoross-blocks, annular plates and shoe-rings being bolted together, in combination with a revoluble cylinder having annular dies therein onwhich said shoe-rings operate, a runway being formed between said annular dies, substantially as described.

2. The muller comprising apair of annular plates having their inner sides beveled and convergingoutwardly, shoe-ringshaving circular rabbets on their inner sides, in which rabbets said annular plates are disposed and cross-blocks disposed between said annular plates and spacing them apart, said crossblocks, annular plates and shoe-rings being secured together, in combination with a revoluble cylinder having annular dies therein on which said shoe-rings operate, a runway being formed between said annular dies, substantially as described.

3. In a quartz-mill and amalgamator, the cylinder comprising the spiders forming the sides thereof, the screens carried by the spiders, the annular member forming the outer side of the cylinder, the annular dies disposed on the inner side of said annular member and forming a runway between them,vand anamalgam-trap between the said dies, in combination with means for revolving said cylinder, and the muller therein, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN Y. BYERS.

Witnesses:

J. D. WOODRUFF, S. S. KNOLES. 

